By definition, a “Vanguard” is someone who is at the forefront of new developments – or who is leading a movement of new ideas.
Inherent in the definition is the notion that a Vanguard has strong and rock-solid beliefs.
Whether Keith Alan Raniere is a true Vanguard is something that we’re about to find out.
Will he stay true to all the philosophical and societal beliefs he has espoused for the past two decades – and will he take the stand to defend those beliefs?
Or will he cower at the defense table and let twelve strangers determine his fate without having heard a single word from him?
Or, even more degrading to his claim to be a Vanguard, will he acquiesce to the prosecution team led by Moira Kim Penza – and accept a plea deal before the start of his trial on Tuesday, May 7th.
All those options appear to be on the table as we begin the final countdown to the start of the trial.
*****
Well-placed sources report that there has been a good deal of dissension in Team Raniere over the past couple of weeks.
Apparently, Marc Agnifilo, Raniere’s lead attorney, has been pushing hard for Raniere to take a plea deal – and avoid going to trial.
And this was before Judge Garaufis’ ruling on Friday that the prosecution would be allowed to show the jury the pornographic pictures of the 15-year old girl that display her vagina and inner labia (Those are some of the pictures that were seized from Raniere’s former sex lair at 8 Hale Drive).
Raniere has reportedly refused to consider any plea deals – and threatened to fire Agnifilo if he doesn’t follow Raniere’s strict instructions for how the defense should be structured.
Shouting matches have taken place between the two – and Agnifilo has vented to several colleagues that Raniere “won’t listen to anyone but himself”.
*****
Meanwhile, back at the Metropolitan Detention Center, things are not going well for Raniere.
To begin with, he’s back in the Special Housing Unit rather than in the Sexual Deviants Unit (We have not yet been able to verify why he was moved but we’re working on it).
And his mood has changed considerably over the course of the past two weeks.
Gone is the confident, braggadocio version of Raniere: “I’ll be out of here any day now”.
In its place is a version that has been described as both “sheepish” and “mournful”.
Most of his recent conversations with other prisoners have included lamentations about the “rich bitch” who abandoned him – which are assumed to be references to Clare Bronfman, his former co-defendant who made her first good financial investment since she met Raniere by agreeing to pay a $6-million fine in order to get a plea deal that will likely see her spend only a year or so in federal prison (The balance of her sentence will likely be spent on home confinement).
And, at a time when he really needs to be at his absolute best – both mentally and physically – Raniere is reportedly having trouble sleeping.
As is true in most prisons, the SHU at MDC is a very noisy place – much more so than a normal cell block. Many prisoners find it hard to sleep when they’re housed there.
Recently, about the only “good news” for Raniere was that he had money in his commissary account – and was feasting away every day on an assortment of junk foods (Potato chips and Cheetos are his faves).
But now that he’s back in the SHU, he is, once again, on restricted commissary.
*****
And so now, at long last, we will learn whether Raniere is a true Vanguard or just a pretend Vanguard.
Will he abandon his own beliefs and instruct Agnifilo to try and work out a plea deal with the prosecution – or will he fight for those beliefs?
The last plea deals that were supposedly offered to him called for 20-years without a “Non-Prosecution Agreement” from the Northern District of New York – or 25-years with such an agreement as part of the deal.
And if Raniere does, in fact, go to trial, will he take the stand to explain to the jurors why he should be acquitted on all charges?
Vanguard or Vanfraud…we’ll soon find out.
Frank Parlato 
Janine Morrison 
J.J. O'Hara 
Richard Luthmann 
Marie White 
Paul Serran
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The Vanguard is being offered a 20 year plea deal which essentially is a death sentence for a 56-year-old man. Of course, he is going to trial; he has nothing to lose.
Just as Raniere ran a small MLM scam, he also ran a small child porn operation, so all of your “hate” (i.e., all talk, no action) needs to be kept in perspective: https://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/ny-82-arrested-in-massive-operation-20190503-fvd3v43fmrgrdjvd4ra6p2lcdi-story.html
Meanwhile, back at the ranch….https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/may/06/us-deploys-aircraft-carrier-and-bombers-after-troubling-indications-from-iran
Poor Pea Brain, what will she do if her boyfriend, Master and part time lover ends up taking a plea deal like the rest of the defendants. She has had such bad things to say about them all turning on her Vanturd.
What will she say if he turns on himself-
If not for himself, he has to see this through for her.
VanClown
The behaviors described fit with what is known of Raniere’s personality and past actions, such as his ignoring his lawyers’ advice and directing them as if he knows better.
He clearly has a grandiose sense of himself, plus he has managed to surround himself with women to feed that image, used a combination of cunning and his followers’ financial resources to avoid being held to account for any of his misdeeds, for the last 4 decades – all of his adult life.
A very accurate synopsis.
ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL-
THE MONDAY BROOKLYN PARTY!
WE GOT NICK AND FRANK AND MACK,
WERE GONNA GET IT KICK STARTED!
Thanks Krclaviger excellent reporting as always!!!!
OK – who the hell is still paying his legal bills- Clare- Good Lord.
Good luck Marc. I have nothing against you, but you will be sued by this bastard.
From comments a while back, it sounded as if the attorneys were getting paid so many millions out of the trust, that they weren’t too concerned about payment for any additional services that might be racked up in finishing out the case if funds ran out. In a worst case scenario, they walk away paid for most but not all of the work that they did at an exorbitant rate around $1,000 per hour, and they’re probably gambling that Raniere really does have assets like Cafritz’ estate or an interest in Bronfman’s island in Fiji that can be tapped to even pay them fully.
The melting of the heart indicates how Keith was always soft and loving and only hard when like a good father has to discipline his children.
“Keith was always soft”
Yolanda, If Keith was always soft I would recommend some Viagra or Cialis.
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“when like a good father has to discipline his children.”
Yolanda, How did Keith discipline his children-
With the Iron Rod between his legs-
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Yolanda, Here are the problems I have with Keith, besides his arrogance and ignorance.
America is a very permissive society when it comes to sex.
There are only a few simple rules:
No children under the age of consent, EVER!
Sex between consenting adults is permissible.
But that consent can never be gained by force or coercion or blackmail or drugs.
No torture of women such as branding.
No life time vows that smack of slavery.
If you expect loyalty you must be willing to give loyalty in return.
(Most women do not like promiscuity.)
Somehow your Vanguard managed to find a large group of women who tolerated his rampant promiscuity.
I suppose these women have a very low self-esteem and fragile egos.
And yet your Vanguard still managed to blow it.
Blow it, Big Time!
Oh, yes, a final point.
While pornography is legal that pornography can never have children. NEVER, NEVER, NEVER!
Even my teen aged nephews who were adopted from Russia understand these simple rules.
It was actually a small group of women, as most women in NXIVM didn’t know about most of the crimes.
Raniere’s lawyer said 150 branded slaves. I’m sure they told one person each, at least.
I’d guess 500-1000 people were involved in making slavery happen.
Also they could have googled and learned about it. It was public for a long time.
Many of the women saw nothing wrong with the cauterizing. They still believe it was an expression of loyalty, much like these guys: https://www.google.com/search-q=black+male+branding+fraternity&tbm=isch&source=univ&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwicn7znsIfiAhVNSK0KHY8ADMEQsAR6BAgKEAE&biw=1278&bih=729 The problem is it isn’t unanimous, and at least one defendant has plead guilty to threatening to release the blackmail material. They were also sworn to secrecy, so I doubt the 500-1,000 number is accurate.
you talk so much about your nephews who were adopted in Russia, that I no longer know if it’s just your thing to continually repeat your same arguments, or just want to convince us that these nephews are real and not a product of your mind.
My nephews are more real than the Vanguard’s East Coast Judo Championship.
You’ve been reading about NXIVM and the Vanguard so much that you think the whole world is fake.
Yolanda,
You are so villainous…….. who knows what nefarious schemes you are working on right now-
Perhaps, a Groupon for a free car wash.
krclaviger, Frank, Heidi and everyone else sharing updates and insights – everything you post is so informative and appreciated!
My inquiry is about the Brooklyn Court House capacity – does it reasonable have enough seating for all spectators, or do you anticipate a lottery draw scenario-
Some of it may even be factual.
LOL. Can’t say it’s not entertaining.
Those who believe everything published from any single source are guilty of the same thing that those who followed Raniere were, accepting one source of input rather than doing their due diligence.
‘Let the poetry of humanity melt your heart a thousand times’ – does anyone know what this means- If so, please to explain..
You call it “Word Salad.”
I call it “Verbal Vomit.”
It was enough to impress gullible women into following him.
It means: Let the bullshit of Raniere convince you to commit idiotic actions a thousand times. And believe it’s the right thing to do.
It means you’re falling under Keith’s spell and Wasting your life thinking about useless nonsense.
Word Salad, this doesn’t actually qualify as word salad by the truest definition, but it is BS. He talks a lot and says ABSOLUTELY nothing! He cannot take a plea and maintain credibility — his ego won’t allow it. He can’t testify and maintain credibility either..the evidence will rule.
Sounds like a quote from a fortune cookie !
“How the mighty have fallen.” 2 Samuel 1:25 New International Version
Judges 3:12-30 Perhaps more appropriately, this is the account of Ehud slaying the obese, evil king Eglon the Moabite while he was on the toilet, I kid you not. Anyway, I know what you mean with the mighty have fallen. How about James 4:6- It says,”But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”